2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Taylor Moton, OL, Western Michigan

Possibly the most glaring need on the New York Giants’ roster is their offensive line. While they need to be better both running and passing the ball, improved blocking up front will help improve both facets of their offense.

While it is easy to read too much into All-Star game meetings, the Giants did meet with Western Michigan right tackle Taylor Moton, so let’s take a closer look.

Measurables

Pros

• Massive, powerful offensive lineman
• Could play guard or right tackle
• Blocks through the whistle
• Has long arms and big hands to help control defenders once he is latched on
• Keeps his pad level down, playing with leverage and using his power
• Showed surprising athleticism at the combine.

Cons

• Doesn’t always use his punch, letting defenders get inside his framework
• Played in a spread offense and rarely played out of a 3-point stance
• Is not a left tackle

Does He Fit With The Giants?

Moton has a lot of the traits the Giants look for in their offensive linemen. He is big, powerful, long, plays angry, and offers some positional versatility. At first glance he appears to be a guard at the next level, however he is solid in pass protection despite feet appearing on the heavy side. He has stood up well in pass protection well at right tackle, but struggled with unnatural and unfamiliar footwork on the left side.

He is probably best suited for a man-gap blocking scheme, but his agility numbers suggest he can play in zone as well. Moton is a freight train of a blocker going downhill, and when he gets moving forward, defenders go backward.

Prospect Video

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - 38th overall

CBS Sports - 75th overall

Draft Countdown - 65th overall

Draft Tek - 59th overall

Final Thoughts

Taylor Moton seems to solidly be in the second tier of offensive tackles, and his size, foot speed, and inability to play left tackle might even cause some teams to view him as a guard. All of that could hurt his draft stock.

However, he is an impressively powerful blocker and any team looking to get better in the run game should be interested in him. He is also a reliable pass protector, drawing praise for his work in one-on-one drills at Senior Bowl practices.

The Giants need to continue to improve on their offensive line, and Moton could be an interesting fit alongside D.J. Fluker.